2nd time here. Rarely when I travel do I repeat a restaurant but this one is exceptional. I ordered the Chicken fajitas and it comes out on a sizzling Lodge cast iron skillet. Smells, sounds and the tastes are wonderful to experience. Set for three fajitas. Excellent chicken. Thin grilled just right. Spanish rice could have a little more diced tomatoes. The refied beans were tasty. Could have been mashed by hand and a little less. I like chunky refried beans. Tortillas were excellent maybe they could be a little larger but nicely done. Definitely enough food!! The service was friendly and checked on me frequently. Food from time to order to table was excellent. The ambience is very nice. Large place. Nicely decorated. Awesome. read more

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Was in the area for a graduation ceremony and the decor of this place in the pictures attracted me to it in an area where most places didn't. Very cool set up, friendly staff and solid food. I'm we had a huge group and they handled it with patience and grace. read more

Papá Gallo is my all time favorite Mexican Restaurant to the beautiful Spanish fabrics, sayings, artifacts, decor, and most of all the delicious FOOD - this place beats any and all Spanish/Mexican restaurants, I've have had pleasure of dining at. Every detail down to the presentation of the food and drinks is outstanding. I personally ordered a Tye Dye Margarita, Mexican Street Corn Side, and the Ay Mama as my entree - each dish was packed with flavor and included extra seasonings, salt, and limes. Whether you want a night out or celebrating a special occasion- Papa Gallo's is the place to go!! The waiter we had was really nice and the hostess as well, she was just quiet :) but sweet. read more

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I came here for a lunch appointment and was greeted by a friendly staff member. The Horchata was so good that I had three glasses! We ordered Fajitas and street tacos, which were delivered hot and fresh! The food tasted delicious and was very filling! I highly recommend this place if you are craving Mexican food! I hope to be back again someday soon! read more

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So good! Dane here with a friend on Thursday evening. We didn't have reservations and there was a little bit of a wait. One seated service was prompt. We did feel a tad rushed but we were also running our mouths and would've been there all night otherwise lol. I got the birria tacos and the Paloma. The tacos were among the best birria tacos I've had and that's saying a lot ad I've lived in Texas the last few years. My Paloma was also exceptional! I would definitely return! read more

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Despite being in the mall, the ambiance of this place is utterly beautiful. Whether the lights, the design of the bar, or even the complex technology that literally employs a robot bringing your food to you, at Papa Gallo you are in for a real treat. The chips are incredible and cheap to refill (if you somehow would need to get a refill, as they provide an abundance of chips and queso) which is a blessing. In addition, the menu is very versatile, but the "Super Chimi" is utterly amazing- one of the best entrees I have had in a long time. The service was amazing, as in purchasing this meal, the lady and cooks were very flexible with my pickiness. The food arrived surprisingly fast despite the absolutely packed restaurant, while still seeming to be cooked at the highest of qualities. Overall, my post-race experience at Papa Gallo will forever be one to remember and I look forward to being in regular attendance. read more

Papa Gallo - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Lynchburg, Virginia

I was a little apprehensive eating at a Mexican restaurant in a mall! But, I was wrong. My son and I shared the steak fajitas and both of us were very satisfied! I never eat or cared for Spanish rice. I decided to stir the rice in the fajita hot plate and soak up all the oils and then added the homemade tomatillo salsa. Wow!!! I'll be back for his wedding in just over a week and I definitely will come back read more

We came here after a movie and just wanted to grab a drink. The hostess said we could sit at the bar however there were only uncleared high tops. It took over 10 minutes wile we were standing there to clear and cleanly the table. The food and drinks were ok for being prices for a restaurant in a mall. The service was absolutely terrible bartender all four of them never really helped us except wants to take our order. Once we got the tab, it was so long that we all had to scrape together and go to the ATM just to get the cash we needed in order to pay the bartender. We still left a tip, but it was one of those situations where you would rather have just walked away. Poorly managed very poorly executed. I would not recommend it. read more

First time at Papa Gallo, the inside was very beautiful! I was a bit shocked to pay $5 for chips and salsa but I liked getting four different varieties. I got the papa gallo surf and turf and it was good! I liked that it came with a little pitcher of cheese. My husband got the macho bowl with salmon and he really loved his! The prices weren't too bad for these two dishes. I will say the margarita prices steered us away from having a drink. The service was okay, a little slow and the servers didn't seem too happy but it wasn't bad. read more

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We were seated right away and our server asked what we would like to drink. Then someone else came to the table and asked what we would like to eat. However, when our appetizer came, we needed plates and that took a very long time to get. As you can see in the pictures, the street corn can be hard to eat if you're sharing with others. There was nothing special about my food. The bacon tasted like Canadian bacon, which was not noted on the menu. It was served cold and so was my friends dish. You can see the cheese getting hard on her plate. This is supposed to be more upscale but did not meet that expectation. Our table and seats were dirty when we sat down. The restaurant does look very appealing and certainly catches the eye when you walk by but I don't think I'd go there again. read more

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I ate here with my family today. Food was ok, not the best. Service was good as well by one individual wait staff. Only thing I disagree and don't like is the operation service fee they charge on the check. This is the service fee they charge when you use your credit cards to pay, it will be waived if you pay cash. They pushed the credit card charge fee onto the customer instead on taking that fee on themselves. They properly don't file the cash payments to irs. This is bad business approach customer will be burn once and wont come back again. read more

this place is genuinely the most overrated place in lynchburg. people are so fooled by the cute interior they let the other restaurant qualities slide. the menu is so small with weak offerings. you have to pay for chips and salsa...and then on top of that the service is so bad...the waiter never comes to your table. you're better off going to la carreta for cheaper and bigger portions read more

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Fantastic atmosphere in the Mall! Papa Gallo is not your run of the mill Mexican restaurant. First of all the space is beautiful and festive. The prices are a little higher than many Mexican restaurants but the quality, variety and presentation are top notch! Added, great service. I was part of a party of 9 for lunch. Beverages were quickly served as everyone tricked in. Our orders were taken quickly after everyone arrived but were not rushed in any way. Then our food arrived hot and fresh faster than I expected! Chips&Salsa is 4.00 but worth every penny! A nice size serving of thin crispy chips with any four of the 8 varieties of salsa that you can customize. I really enjoyed the Carnitas platter and heard no complaints from anyone at the table. I'm looking forward to a return visit to try a margarita! read more

Papa Gallo - Carnitas - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Lynchburg, Virginia

Love this place! One of my favorites in Lynchburg. Inside has amazing design, always have gotten seated quickly with good service. The food has been good consistently and the overall vibe is fantastic, especially for a mall! read more

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Enjoyed our dinner here! Went to catch up with some friends and it was the perfect spot. Near the entrance of the mall and movie theater. There was a bit of a wait, so plan ahead. The decor was super fun! Great if you have kids since there is plenty to look at. Servers were all friendly and everyone at my table loved their food! I think the biggest winner was the birria tacos. If you like tacos and meat, this one is for you! All the portion sizes were big. Come with an appetite or be prepared to take home leftovers. Definitely will need to return since everyone was so stuffed that we didn't get to try the desserts. read more

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This place was great! Very clean and pretty. The chips and salsa were so tasty. You can choose up to four different salsa dips. All were super tasty. Everyone in our group enjoyed the food. Highly recommend the enchiladas. read more

The good, the bad, and the ugly. The good: The food was tasty. I didn't feel the need to tell any of my friends or family about it, though. Atmosphere was pretty cool. With all the businesses that have gone in this corner of the mall to die, I think this one has the best chance at survival. The bad: My glass was dirty... The ugly: The amount of chicken in my quesadilla. read more

Papa Gallo - Dirty glass. - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Lynchburg, Virginia

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The food here was absolutely delicious! It tastes as good as it smells from the other parts of the mall. I really enjoyed their queso and birria tacos. The servers were so nice and the decorations are like no other. My only complaint is the price; it is far too expensive for the portions and food quality. read more

The vibe and decor in this place is great! It's really a huge space so there's plenty of seating and you don't feel smushed next to people. They had a huge table to accommodate my large party which was awesome. The servers were are very pleasant and pretty on top of everything. There a was short wait in between some meals because we ordered a lot of fajitas which take a while. Everything arrived super hot and fresh which is always appreciated. The horchata was pretty disappointing honestly but I'm picky about it. It had very little cinnamon, it was more milky. The fajitas were great! So much food and so reasonably priced. My mom got tacos (not pictured) and they were bigger than expected which was great. We had lots of leftovers. Overall it was a great time. Would come back for sure. read more

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We were visiting family in the area and had plans to see a movie at the Regal nextdoor in the mall to this location and they suggested we dine here--I'm glad they did! It's a very cool location with great atmosphere and decor. Our server was terrific as well. We started with a couple of orders of chips and salsa--chips aren't complimentary here, but each order ($4) comes with 4 different salsas and is well worth it. Chips were fresh and the salsas we selected--an avocado salsa, a verde, classic salsa, and a rancho--were each great. I had a craft paloma to drink and it was excellent--crisp, refreshing, and a heavy enough pour to suit me. I think I enjoyed it more than a margarita. My wife had the mi corazon cocktail, served in a cute glass heart lit from within--sweet and sour, if a bit less overall liquid for her taste (though a strongish pour, just not a lot of mixer). There were several items on the menu I wanted to try but I opted for a standard fave of mine, carnitas--here as the "Carnitas Wilbur." It was served on a craft board with fresh cilantro, herbs and spices as well as a side of beans, pico, cilantro lime rice, and a bowl of tortillas. I assembled about 4-5 small tacos from this, each topped with the tomatilla sauce provided with my meal. Delicious--fresh ingredients, expertly cooked and well seasoned. The presentation kicked it up a notch making it one of the best orders of this dish I've ever had. My wife had the El Popeye, a chicken and bacon based wrap served with spiced (crispy) fries and it was HUGE. She enjoyed it. We were too stuffed to try dessert. Overall, very impressed. Prices are closer to steakhouse than standard Mexican but that's due to quality ingredients (you're getting the same steak, pork, chicken, and such that you get from those steakhouses if not better so why wouldn't it cost the same?). If you're wanting to save a buck, try the tacos as they're cheap and look great. Or split one of the monster burritos with your dining partner. Very close to a 5 and if I am ever able to return and try a few key dishes to judge, it might become one. I'd like to see a bit of seafood and a few more vegetables on the menu, as well as rancho beans that aren't refried. read more

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Always clean! Great service! And the food is absolutely delicious! They have the best quesadillas!

My favorite Mexican place in Lynchburg. The atmosphere even being in a mall feels trendy and the food is amazing, been here a few times and never disappoints. A lot of Mexican places often taste the same or are just average with there being so many. BUT Papa Gallo does it different and the staff are always friendly and the food comes out quickly and efficiently! read more

I wasn't here tonight to grab some dinner on a business trip. I had the chicken fajitas I thought they were incredible. Seasoned perfectly, cooked really well, and I was happy with the portion size. My bartender made me a spicy cucumber Margarita off menu and it was great. You guys need to add this to your menu, I think a lot of people would dig it. I love the decor, the staff was friendly, I would recommend trying this place out. read more

Our server was so kind and had great conversations with us!! We ordered the birria tacos and chicken & cheese enchiladas. The enchiladas were really good (highly recommend) . The restaurant's decor is put together well and makes a nice environment for a lunch/dinner out. read more

Papa Gallo - Birria Tacos + Chicken and Cheese Enchiladas - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Lynchburg, Virginia

Would give ZERO stars if I could was seated with my family and sat for 20+ mins with no drinks or server coming by. Never got drinks but other tables who came in after us were served. Then when we left the staff wave and smiled like they had done something. Absolutely PATHETIC and POOR place. DO NOT RECOMMEND UNLESS YOU WANT TO WASTE TIME. read more

If you were wondering what one of the best Mexicans in Lynchburg is, look no further. Right away with just the name being strikingly suspenseful. Followed by the array of bright colors, uniquely hugging the tile. Accompanied by the old-fashioned soloan vibe paired with a modern feel. Giving the room a sense of openness that kept the eye moving. Especially being lucky to enjoy the great food under nothing less than their magical tree. Personally, I'm not a soda fan, so I usually stick to my good old ice-cold water anywhere. Which left me being tickled by the awesome bottle at my own disposal. Skipping tasting any lemonades or specialty drinks. However, landing on a delicious mixed one. The Tia Chata is topped with a stunning coconut bar. Having a subtle but elegant presentation with an absolutely mouth water taste. Leaving not a single drop or piece of ice behind. Fajita Trio for the main course with an extra order of tortillas. Something about the tender steak, flavorful chicken, and perfect shrimp paired well with beans and rice. Dipping back into the salsas given with the chips. Surprisingly, having to pay for chips wasn't that bad granted the other restaurants giving them for free. However, being well worth it with the salsas. Street corn being served with seasonings at your own discretion was unique and delicious. There was nothing put on the table that we didn't enjoy personally. Not to mention to service being fast and friendly. You could really tell they cared. Returing here regularly has also been nothing short of a treat. Their take out preparation being one of the best, in my opinion. Great containers, nicely packaged, and an awesome place to grab it from. Ive been absolutely loving this place. read more

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Tastefully decorated and higher quality furniture than the typical La Carreta restaurants in the area. Promptly seated and drink orders taken. Orders came within ten minutes. I ordered Carnitas Wilbur. Uh....was that the Wilbur from Charlotte's Web? I was eating Wilbur??? Anyway, my meal's presentation was wonderful. The food was great! I only wish they supplied four tortillas instead of three. I will definitely order that again. read more

Papa Gallo - Carnitas Wilbur. - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Lynchburg, Virginia

disappointed. The shrimp does not taste as good as it did when you first opened, and what happened to the chicken? doesn't taste like Wards Road??? what are you doing? Please change it back.... read more

Ambiance was great. The decorations were wonderful and interesting and the location was good. The food was meh. Paying $4 for chips and salsa and then discovering not one of the four salsas were actually great was a disappointment. The mild seemed like they literally opened a can of crush tomatoes and served it - the medium was the same can + Tabasco. Sad day because the previous reviews we read were so positive. read more

Went on a Sunday, the hostess was not friendly to start. It was a 15min wait which was fine. The $12 guac was subpar but both of our drinks were good. The service wasn't great, we waited a long time while our fajitas got cold to get plates to be able to dish it out. The meat didn't taste quality at all but the price was high. They came by maybe once to check on us which was ridiculous considering we were by the servers food entry pad. The ambiance was nice but food was not and service was worse. We won't be going back and will stick with La Carreta's. read more

Papa Gallo - Good drinks and chips. Not in love with the $12 guac - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Lynchburg, Virginia

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Food is AMAZING! I'd say it's better than all the competitors BUT it is way more expensive than its competitors too. A little disappointed the meal I ordered didn't come with rice/beans but I'm so glad I ordered a side because the rice was so good! I got a chicken quesadilla and it was truly the best one I've ever had it was so delicious. Definitely recommend this place! I wish I could add a photo of my plate but unfortunately I didn't waste any time devouring every bite but I promise it was just as beautiful looking as it was delicious read more

Delicious! The place is decorated so fun. The food was a home run! We totally recommend the table Side guacamole. Our server even gave us a homemade hot sauce. read more

The food was horrible. The cheese resembled Cottage cheese. Lumpy with a sour taste. The queso dip was watered down. Pace has better salsa than this place. I order shrimp enchilada and send it back. I then ordered the beef taco. What could go wrong with a taco. They manage to outdo themselves. The beef was oily and also had a sour taste. Wish we would have found a better place to eat. read more

Stay away unless you just want drinks. Not exaggerating, the drinks and the ambiance, which is very nice, are the only reason to go. Everything else will just make you mad. Like, I could get better food at Taco Bell kinda mad. I can sum it up this way - salsa and chips are $4, no free refills at all. Salsa is same as at La Caretta, nothing fancy. A refill of the average bowl of chips is $1, one tiny salsa refill (they don't even fill up the bowl!) is $0.79. First, same family that owns La Caretta owns this place. Go to La Caretta, that place is really good (all locations). This place is NOT La Caretta. We paid $83 (before tip) for 3 iced teas, 1 margarita, 3 vegetarian tacos, salsa and chips, chicken fajitas and a chicken and rice bowl. In Lynchburg, VA. Seriously? First, the service. I asked what sides they had, I did not see it on the menu. He pointed to the "add ons" for the rice bowls - onions, peppers. I said, no I mean sides like beans. Reply - oh, we have beans. The only good thing is when we called, were told the refried beans were vegetarian. He confirmed they are not vegetarian - they have lard in them. So he does get a point for that. But that was the highlight of the service. I would have thought I was being pranked, except no he clearly had no idea what sides were and that maybe people would like to know what they are. Second, the food: 1. Ice tea - i never got sweetener until the third time I asked, and then they only had yellow sweetener. And my refill had warm tea, no ice. 2. Fajitas - only chicken, onions, green peppers in the fajita hot plate. Side of refried beans and rice. The toppings - only cheese and sour cream, with a tiny PLASTIC to go container of salsa. Yes, seriously they're that cheap. No lettuce, no tomato, no tiny bit of guac. Only 3 TINY flour tortillas. They're street taco size but still only give you 3. It looked like what you'd get at a school cafeteria. 3. Potato tacos, street style - it's bland mashed potatoes on tiny flour tortilla, with barely any onions and a ton of cilantro. Never asked what kind of tortilla I wanted, and I assumed I'd get soft corn because, hello that's what the default is most of the time for street tacos. I didn't eat the second one. Even the $0.79 tiny cup of salsa didn't help. 4. Soft corn tortillas - literally fell apart, and I had to ask for them and probably had to pay a small fortune too. Tasted ok, but could barely eat them because they were falling apart already when I got them. 5. American style taco with black beans - boring AF. I'm not that picky - black beans, a little tomato, they put sour cream on it (forgot to ask for none). And it still tasted bland. 6. Mexican street corn - really confusing. Comes in a cute presentation - a little ceramic pot with corn, some kind of sauce with mayo in it (not much flavor), and a little cheese on top. On the side is a little sea salt and a little pile (teaspoon maybe) of spices. It was confusing because the top was covered in cheese and the spices on the side were unclear what to do with them. Especially as the cute little ceramic pot had a small opening. But here's the kicker - this is corn and cheese and mayo, seriously how could that not taste great? it didn't, it was boring AF. And it was $7 for the pleasure of a confusing appetizer that tasted bland. Seriously give me the corn on the cob Mexican street corn, not this tiny pot of what is probably frozen corn and hellmans mayo. 7. Chicken and rice bowl - Mexican rice, with chicken and then a little metal pot of queso we think. You know the metal pot restaurants will put milk/creamer in when you order coffee? It was that metal pot, but with a liquid cheese. No veggies really to speak of, no quac, no salsa, nothing. Overall, it was a bad experience. I expect to pay more for a really nicely decorated place in a mall. But to get bad food and pay triple for it is bad. Not to mention, the salsa and chips. If you're going to charge $4 for it, it had better be good and it had better come with at least one free refill. Nope. I expect if they do not overhaul the menu, food, and service, I doubt they'll be in business more than a year. read more

Sat at the bar which is lovely and chic (especially give the location attached to a mall). The bartender was attentive and quick despite the very busy Saturday lunch rush. Tacos were delicious and fresh! FYI: chips and salsa are not complimentary. read more

Service for takeout was very sweet. The food though nachos are literally sitting in liquid and the street corn has no flavor. I got a margarita while I was waiting and it tasted like a premade margarita from a bottle, bright green and not fresh. read more

Papa Gallo - Shredded chicken nachos - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Lynchburg, Virginia

We can't get enough of this place! It's easy to say yes to this establishment because the food is wonderful! We've been a few times and have never been disappointed. If you're a protein person, you'll love the Quesadilla surf and turf. Filled with chicken, shrimp, scallops, and tender steak, this dish took some doing to finish. You have to try the BTO Goloso! This is a burrito stuffed with grilled steak, chicken, chorizo, and frijoles. The avocado sauce was delicious! The ambiance is amazing. I love the way this place is decorated, and the service was great! Convenient for shopping and dinner at the mall! read more

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We loved this restaurant. The steak tacos americano style and the chorizo street style were incredible. The wife got the macho bowl and said it was fantastic. The only complaint is the kids Mac and cheese. It was $8+ for the bowl that was smaller than the salsa bowl. My son finished it in three bites. The manager did give us another bowl for each kid and still wasn't enough. Just avoid this until they increase the portion size. Otherwise, amazing. read more

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1st visit. They ask you to pick 4 different salsas from a menu when you sit down. I ordered 3 fish tacos. The tacos were good, however, there was very little fish. The tacos were a little pricey. Not sure I'd go back. read more

We came here in hopes of a nice lunch, for an "upscale" restaurant we would expect to be charged more premium pricing except for the fact that everything we had was Lacaretta equivalent with a "twist". The portions are significantly less, not enough to fill you up at the least, and they charge you for every little tiny thing, chip refills, minimal sauce portions, even the rice and beans... to which I got a very small handful of each to the tune of $6.50. I would not recommend this place to anyone. I told our server that my card was difficult and just needs to be put in a couple of times and he comes back at me with an attitude and says "I tried it 50 million times." Meanwhile, not 20 minutes later it worked within three times at another store, as it does everywhere else. read more